Nickson joins drydensfairfax from Squire Sanders
SUE Nickson is to leave her post as chief operating officer of law firm Squire Sanders to take on the role of director of legal at drydensfairfax solicitors.
Drydensfairfax is the national specialist debt recovery law firm based in Bradford and Ms Nickson’s move from Squire Sanders, which has an office in Leeds, will take effect from September 1.
Drydensfairfax was created as a result of a merger between Drydens Lawyers (formerly Hammonds’s debt recovery unit) and Fairfax Solicitors (a management buyout of the unsecured debt recovery unit from Eversheds) last month.
Ms Nickson’s appointment completes the senior level team at drydensfairfax which now consists of seven former Hammonds, DLA Piper and Eversheds partners and lawyers as well as two director-level non lawyer appointments in finance and operations.
The two non lawyers had previously held senior roles in Santander and GE Capital respectively.
Ms Nickson’s role, as well as heading up operational delivery of all elements of legal services within the business, will be to help drive the future direction of the firm as it contemplates its options for growth.
Ms Nickson said: “The next two years will be interesting for law firms that have chosen to specialise in specific areas and where there is significant growth potential when combined with non law business activities.
“There are some sizeable opportunities available to drydensfairfax solicitors and I am looking forward to playing a part in shaping the business’s future and maximising its potential.”
Chief Executive Philip Holden said: “We knew that Sue was looking for a new challenge and one where she can continue to combine her business skills with her legal expertise and we are delighted that we have been able to attract her to join drydensfairfax.
“The firm is already well known to Sue who was one of the original investors when Drydens de-merged from Hammonds back in 2003.
“These are exciting times for a specialist law firm with a single clear focus in the debt recovery market place and Sue’s experience and undoubted operational and legal abilities will substantially enhance the continued growth of drydensfairfax solicitors”.
The firm, which is expected to turn over more than £16m this year, presently handles around 500,000 cases with a live debt value of almost £1bn and employs more than 330 330 staff across its two sites in Bradford and Leeds.
